Rays 8, White Sox 2: TKO, fifth inning
Five walks - three Ks = runaway loss
[In response to the White Sox activating an alleged spousal and child abuser, serial philanderer and domestic abandoner, and demonstrably horrific and selfish teammate, we present a limited recap that steers around direct details of his performance. South Side Sox and our inspiration in this effort, Chrystal O’Keefe, are making a donation to Prevent Child Abuse America each time we must endure one of these starts. — South Side Sox staff]
The Tampa Bay Rays jumped out to a 3-0 lead in their half of the second inning and never looked back, romping past the White Sox and breaking Chicago’s peculiar spell over them in the opener of a three-game set in St. Pete.
Until Tanner Banks took over in the seventh to anesthetize a game long lost by the Pale Hose, Chicago’s pitching was utterly abominable, in essence gifting the team in the neon City Connects a win.
Through 6 innings, White Sox pitchers don't have any strikeouts. 5 walks.
— Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) May 7, 2024
Someone named Jonny DeLuca did the early damage, tapping a two-run single in the the second and, combined with a two-run round-tripper in the fifth, now has 10 RBIs in his first four MLB games — one shy of the all-time record for four contests. How come the White Sox never, ever, ever find these guys? (Apologies, Yermín.)
The White Sox, in the one moment in nine innings deserving of credit, punched right back in the top of the third, as Tommy Pham slapped an excuse-me oppo burrito to slice TB’s lead to 3-2.
Wasn’t much else. The reprehensible transactions-wire decision by the White Sox today denies all of you the player polls, but hey, decisions have consequences. Maybe it won’t be a bad decision we all have to live with for another five months.
The magic of the Neon SkyRays gets put to the test again tomorrow, while the White Sox attempt to avoid falling 20 below .500 — in May, mind you — for the second time this season.
Futility Watch
White Sox 2024 Record 8-27, worst 35-game start in White Sox history (1⁄2 game ahead of the 1948 White Sox, at 8-26-1) and tied with 11 teams for 10th-worst in MLB history
White Sox 2024 Run Differential -88, tied for the 16th-worst 35-game start in MLB history
White Sox 2024 Season Record Pace 37-125 (.229)
Race to the Worst “Modern” 162-Game Record (2003 Tigers, 43-119) 6 games ahead
Race to the Worst “Modern” Record in a 162-Game Season (1962 Mets, 40-120) 3 games ahead
Race to the Most White Sox Losses (1970, 106) 19 games ahead
Race to the Worst White Sox Record (1932, 52-109-1*) 15 1⁄2 games ahead
Race to the Worst American League Record (1916 A’s, 38-124*) 1 game ahead
Race to the Worst MLB Record (1899 Spiders, 21-141*) 16 games behind
*record adjusted to a 162-game season